


Second Chance

by Saifa



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, M/M, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-25
Updated: 2018-01-25
Packaged: 2019-03-09 11:08:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13480221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saifa/pseuds/Saifa
Summary: Burgerpants feels hopeless about his future prospects on the surface. While at a park, he sulks and mulls over his recently rejected auditions. It takes a friendly ice cream vendor to renew some of his hope.





	Second Chance

**Author's Note:**

> This was a fic I wrote for tumblr user katdrawsmemes during the winter event hosted by undertale-exchange.

         Cicadas sang in the late day. The laughter of children drifted through the trees in the park.  Burgerpants leaned back in a bench and held up a bright orange flier for a casting call. He clicked his tongue and crumpled the flier. He held the paper ball loosely at his side while resting his other arm on the back of the bench. He craned his head back to stare blankly at the clear sky. “Second chance,” he mumbled darkly. “Yeah, right.”

         His ears perked up at children shouting with delight. He turned to watch several of them cut across the park in a blur of pigtails, jerseys, and cleats. Their feet stomped through the grass and onto concrete.  The group circled around a vendor, who slowly pushed a cart with a large red and yellow umbrella. The children began their chatter in unison and skipped beside him.

         “Nice Cream Guy is here!”

         “Mister, where have you been?”

         “Can I have chocolate, please?”

         Nice Cream Guy parked his cart. He beamed at the smiling faces and chuckled. “One at a time, please!” He opened a compartment and searched through it. “It’s been a busy day, kids. Sorry for the wait. Now what would you all like? I know I heard chocolate.”

         “That’s alright, Mister. We’re just glad you’re here.” A girl grinned while balancing a soccer ball on her head. She bounced it high into the air and caught it squarely in her hands. “Do you have any strawberry?”

         “Of course,” Nice Cream Guy nodded with a grin.

         The children dug through their pockets for spare change and thanked him. The wrappers crinkled in their hands as they tore open the nice cream and huddled together to exchange the jokes and compliments. With heads tilted back and shoulders shaking with laughter, they sat in a circle on the grass and passed the soccer ball to each other.

         “Have a super duper day, kids!” Nice Cream Guy waved and leaned against his cart.

         Burgerpants watched the vendor blankly and shook his head. “Still doing the same old thing, huh, buddy?” he mumbled to himself. “Good for you, I guess.” Turning away with a sigh, he tightened his hold on the crumpled flier.

         Nice Cream Guy scanned the park. His eyes followed the sidewalk until he caught sight of Burgerpants. He gasped with eyes wide and quickly pushed his cart forward. “Burgy, is that you?” he called.

         Burgerpants turned in mild surprise. He stared as the cart slid to a stop and the vendor stood tall before him. “Oh, hey... So, you remember me.”

         “Don’t be silly, Burgy. Of course I remember you! It’s certainly been a while.”

         Burgerpants lowered his gaze. His lips formed a hard line.

         Nice Cream Guy’s ears fell slightly as he watched him. He reached for the compartment lid and fished out a nice cream. Ice crystals glistened on the light blue wrapping and melted at his touch. With a faint smile, he offered it to Burgerpants.

         Burgerpants hesitated before accepting the frozen treat. “Thanks…” he said quietly.

         Nice Cream Guy took a seat next to him and stared across the park. Birds chirped in the trees and flitted in the air. A pair of cyclists rode past. Out of the corner of his eye he watched Burgerpants, whose brow was knitted together in deep thought.

         “So, nice cream, huh?” Burgerpants stared down at the nice cream in his hand. “How’s that going for you?”

         “The humans have taken a liking to it. Especially the children,” Nice Cream Guy said enthusiastically. He paused and his smile shrank. “I’m not going to say it’s not without obstacles. Some days are better than others depending on where I try to sell. But I think I’m close to finding a route that sells the most. Today’s been pretty good, actually.”

         “Aren’t you tired of it?” Burgerpants said in a worn and almost hollow voice.

         Nice Cream Guy tilted his head. “Tired?”

         “You’re doing the same thing you did back in the Underground.”

         “I don’t mind, really,” Nice Cream Guy laughed. “I like making people happy.”

         Burgerpants’ eyes grew cloudy.

         Nice Cream Guy paused. His expression flickered with concern. “Are you tired?”

         Burgerpants let out a sigh and his shoulders sagged. “I’m always tired.” He laughed quietly to himself and shook his head. The flier crinkled in his fist. “I just thought in this new and bright world there would be something for us. For me. Don’t you want something better, too?” 

         “Of course…” Nice Cream Guy’s ears lowered. He glanced at the crumpled paper. “I guess I don’t know what steps to take other than what I already know.”

         “Take it from me, buddy.” Burgerpants let go of the flier and unwrapped the nice cream. “You’re better off selling your nice cream in one place. Otherwise people won’t know where to find you. Who knows, if you’re able to save up enough, you could open up your own nice cream parlor.” He bit into the creamy chocolate treat.

         Nice Cream Guy’s eyes widened. He grabbed Burgerpants’ shoulders and stared at him in amazement. “You really think that’s possible? I haven’t thought of that before.”

         Burgerpants’ took another bite of the nice cream as he contemplated. He looked over Nice Cream Guy whose smile and eyes were bright. “Yeah, sure… It’ll take time, but it’ll be possible for you.”

         Staring dreamily at the sky, Nice Cream Guy leaned back in his seat. “Wow, my very own shop. I can’t believe it. I can make so many more people happy.”

         Burgerpants turned away from him and finished his nice cream. His expression darkened and his voice lowered. “Heh, you seem to have a direction now, buddy.”

         Silence passed between them. Nice Cream Guy’s brow knitted together. The wind carried the children’s shouts as they started a new game. “What about you? You’re not working for Mettaton anymore.”

         It was a while before Burgerpants spoke. He shifted in his seat and folded his arms. The nice cream wrapper crumpled in his fist. “I refuse to work for Mettaton again. I hate that guy and all the stress he caused me. You know, he’s not as great as everyone says he is.” He sighed and stared distantly across the park at the children passing the soccer ball. “What I wanted to do — it’s a dead dream.” He groaned and rubbed his face. “I’ve always wanted to be an actor. Ever since I was young. I just never got the chance. I’ve been trying now that we’re on the surface, but no one is looking for monsters to cast.”

         Nice Cream Guy reached for the crumpled flier and spread it out across his lap. He read over the large bolded words of audition times and locations.

         “I’m wasting my time, much like how I wasted my life in the underground. I’m easily forgettable anyway.”

         “Burgy, don’t say that.” Nice Cream Guy frowned at him. “I think you’d make a brilliant actor. There’s still hope.”

         “Yeah, tell that to all the places I’ve auditioned,” Burgerpants scoffed.

         Nice Cream Guy’s eyes fell to the flyer. “Still, you shouldn’t give up. There are other forms of acting, like voice acting for instance. And, honestly…” Nice Cream Guy bit his lip as the flyer shook in his hands. “I think you have a lovely voice,” he smiled shyly.

         Burgerpants stared at him, astonished. He felt his cheeks flush and chest tighten. Forcing out a laugh, he regained his composure with a shrug. “Heh, good one, buddy.”

         Nice Cream Guy grabbed Burgerpants’ hand firmly while locking eyes with him. “I’m serious.”

         Burgerpants flinched. He looked down at their interwoven fingers in confusion. “Why are you so nice to me?” His shoulders trembled. “No one else does this.”

         “Because we’re friends, Burgy,” Nice Cream Guy smiled faintly. “Always.”

         Burgerpants opened his other hand and let the wrapper unfurl. A small smile cracked across his face as he read the text.  _ Dreams are worth it and so are you. _ Squeezing Nice Cream Guy’s hand, he gave a small nod. “Always, huh?”


End file.
